The key to complementing online dialogue lies in the "background."

In this column, based on my firsthand experience in 100% online business education, I first introduced the idea that education is "a place to rediscover excitement and flip that switch." Last time, I shared the perspective that to confront that excitement, we use past foundational experiences as clues to bring the core of one's life story into sharp focus.

Now, the process of exploring these foundational experiences means deciphering a person's "background." Simultaneously, it holds the key to significantly enhancing the quality of online communication. This time, I'd like to delve into that secret.

Professor Yanaka conducting an online lecture. Broadcast from a studio in Kojimachi, Tokyo, to students residing in 110 countries worldwide. Professor Yanaka teaches BBT University's popular course 'Fundamentals of Marketing'.

Amid the surge in online meetings due to COVID-19, many people are experiencing an inexplicable "online fatigue." Meetings can be held without leaving home, video call connections are stable, and screen sharing materials poses no problem. It's incredibly convenient, so why do we feel "unexpectedly tired," "like we're not getting through," or "still want face-to-face meetings"?

The amount and quality of information we gain from face-to-face communication is far greater than we consciously realize. This means the information conveyed in online meetings is significantly lower in both quantity and quality compared to real-life meetings. Therefore, in online meetings, if you're not more focused than usual, you miss out on information you naturally pick up in person. Moreover, you're not always aware of exactly what that missing information is, leaving you with an inexplicable sense of unease.

BBT University's studio is equipped with all the necessary gear for live lectures. Feedback sessions on student submissions are conducted with the flair of a variety show.

Put another way, online communication can be seen as sampling only a tiny fraction of the vast amount of raw data present in reality. If we were to express the relationship between the quantity and quality of information conveyed by different communication methods, it would look like this:

【 Email < Chat < Voice Call < Video Call <<<...<<< Face-to-Face 】

Essentially, there is a much larger gap than one might think between online meetings based on video calls and real meetings held face-to-face.

Understanding this reveals strategies to compensate for the quality of online communication. The key is to "infer" the information not captured by video calls. An effective way to do this is by understanding the other person's "background." What kind of environment did they grow up in? What are their core beliefs and values? Understanding the life story at the core of their background allows you to infer the underlying thoughts behind their words. This enables high-quality dialogue online by compensating for the missing information.

This is precisely why I place such high importance on in-person, extracurricular events even in 100% online business education. Even in just a few minutes of conversation, face-to-face communication provides information that allows you to perceive the other person's life story through your five senses. This also builds mutual trust. Understanding someone's background makes online dialogue smoother.

Furthermore, the other person's condition on any given day is crucial context online. Through the monitor, we interpret their background by reading their facial expressions, voice tone, clothing, and more. The "physical background" visible in the frame is also vital information. It lets us understand, "This person is speaking from this kind of environment right now," and conversely, it conveys our own situation. Interestingly, while online meeting tools offer robust background blurring and replacement features, some may have noticed that the presence or absence of a background changes the quantity and quality of information conveyed. Sharing a realistic background whenever possible enhances the quality of online dialogue.

At BBT University, professors themselves shape excitement. In March 2020, responding to COVID-19, Professor Tanaka produced an "Avatar Graduation Ceremony." Graduates operated avatar robots from home to receive their diplomas from President Kenichi Ohmae.

In summary, the key to complementing online dialogue lies in the "background." Since joining BBT University, both lectures and seminars have consistently delivered stable performance within a 100% online business education environment. This can be attributed to prioritizing an understanding of the "background," based on the characteristics of online dialogue.